Fort McCoy Commemorative Area

Fort McCoy's Commemorative Area, History Center, Equipment Park and Veterans Memorial Plaza are located in the installation's 800 block and the area immediately surrounding.

Open Hours

The Commemorative Area is open to the general public for self-guided tours on the second and fourth Fridays from noon - 4 p.m. and the first Saturdays from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.  of June through August. Installation operations may supersede these hours, so please call 502-898-4209 or email usarmy.mccoy.id-readiness.list.pao-admin@army.mil for most up-to-date hours and days.

The Commemorative Area is also open by appointment to civilian groups and military units on a space- and staff-available basis Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays, throughout the year. Appointments for self-guided tours can be made by contacting the Public Affairs Office by phone or email. Visitors have access to the Equipment Park and Veterans Memorial Plaza year-round daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., weather permitting. 

There is no cost for tours. Self-guided tours of the History Center, Commemorative Area buildings, Equipment Park, and Veterans Memorial Plaza take approximately one to 1 1/2 hours, depending on the size of the group.

Visitors without military ID must stop at the Visitor Control Center, located to the right before the Main Gate, for a visitor pass access the installation. Each adult occupant of a vehicle without a military ID must be cleared by the Fort McCoy Police Department. Also, the driver must be prepared to show a valid registration and proof of insurance for the vehicle. On weekends and federal holidays the Visitor Control Center is closed, and visitors can receive a pass at the Main Gate.The Commemorative Area consists of World War II-era buildings set aside to help tell Fort McCoy's unique story. These facilities, which are representative of the type found in the cantonment area when it was constructed in 1942, help to depict Soldier life during the 1940s. An administrative facility, a dining facility and one barracks are set up to represent use of each facility during the WWII era. Display items include bunk beds, footlockers and potbelly stoves. The other buildings, both barracks, house informational displays that highlight the events of WWII as well as more-recent eras.

The History Center features displays of memorabilia that reflects the role the installation held throughout WWI, WWII, the Korean War, the Cuban Refugee Resettlement center operations, Operation Desert Storm and more.

The Equipment Park is an outdoor area used to display equipment from WWII through present-day, representative of the types used on the installation. The design of the park allows for display of more than 70 pieces of equipment, ranging from helicopters and howitzers to tanks and trucks. A brochure featuring a park layout guide and information about each piece of equipment on display is available on site, or a PDF version is available here. 

The Veterans Memorial Plaza is a tribute to all of the men and women who have served the nation during each era of Fort McCoy’s history. It consists of statues of Soldiers depicting eras of conflict starting from Fort McCoy's founding in 1909: World War 1, World War 2, Korean War, Vietnam War and Operation Desert Storm/Shield/OIF/OEF. 

Annual Armed Forces Day Open House

Fort McCoy typically hosts an annual Armed Forces Day Open House each year on the third Saturday in May. This is an excellent time to visit and no appointment is required. All Commemorative Area buildings are open, guided installation bus tours are offered, and special activities are scheduled. For specific Open House information please visit the events calendar.